Electrical appliance.



Rel- 761,465. PATEN'IED 'M'A'Y'al, 1904'.

' P. H. PIELDING.

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE.

, APPLICATION FILED 116.26, wpa. 10 MODEL.

' UNITED STATES Y PHILIP H. FIELDING,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE,-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,465, dated May 31, 1904. 7

Application filed August 26,1903.

I branch blocks consisting, essentially, of an in- Sulating-body provided with connecting devices for main and branch wires.

The object of my invention is to provide a device ofthis character especially 'adapted'for stringing incandescent lamps for decorative purposes, and is particularly designed to be used in connection with a cable which while being used as a support or brace for a building or tower at the same time serves as a support for a large number of electric lamps placed at short intervals along the same.

' My improved device is designed to be readily adjusted to the supporting-cable and afford means for making quick connections which are substantially waterproof and protected in a manner to prevent contact between the metal parts and adjacent objects.

, My invention will be described with referonce to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of two of my improved devices mounted inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a front View of one of the devices with a part in section and illustrating the manner of making the electrical connections. Fig. 8 is an end view of the device. Fig. tis an end View of one ofthe caps. Fig. 5 is a section of the cap, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of my device;

The device consists, essentially, of an elongated body A, of porcelain or other suitable insulating material. This is formed with an opening a in one side midway between its ends, which gives the shape of a yoke to the body. The extremities of this body are cylindrical externally and contain notches or seats 5, formed diametrically across them. From these notches or seats interior passages 6 lead through the body to the opening a and Serial No. 170,804; '(No 51101181.)

in an inclined direction. The notches or seats are enlarged around the axis of the body to form chambers 6 which are adapted to re ceive cylindrical blocks a, loosely placed therein. These blocks are provided with two binding-screws 0 and 0 the end of the former entering a notch-o in the side of the block and being adapted to secure an electrical conductor passing transversely through the end of the body A and lying in the notch or seat Z). The other screw, 0, is adapted to hold the end of another conductor, which leads through the interior passage 7), by clamping the same beneath its head. This block therefore serves as an electrical connector for the two wires.

The block is removable from its seat to enable the lineman to make the connections described in the manner shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2, after which it is returned to its seat in the position shown-at the left-hand side of Fig. 2. Having made the connections, the cylindrical end of the body A is covered by a .cap 0, of porcelain or other insulating material, which passes endwise over the extremity of the body. This cap is provided with two pins 6', adapted to engage with inclined grooves 6 in the outer surface of the extremities of 'drawsithe capoverthe'end and forces the transverse wire to the inner extremity of the notch. This cap therefore closes the outerend of the notch and entirely covers and protects the metal parts within.

The manner of using the device is shown in Fig. 1 f indicates a cable such as is commonly used as a stay for a building or tower and'which may extend either horizontally or in an inclined direction. Along each side of the cable positive and negative main wires 9 and g are strung. The devices constituting my invention are applied to the two conductors by removinga small'portion' of the insulation from the wires and connecting them to the blocks 0 by means-0f the screws'c". The

branch wires it and 72/ are likewise connected to the blocks 0 by first passing the wires through the passages b outward and through the notches b, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2. The connectors are then drawn into their seats and the caps applied, and finally the device is saddled upon the supporting-cable f. In this position it effectively keeps the main wires 9 and g separate and at the same time retains them in their proper relative positions with the supporting-cable. The branch wires h and it may be any length desired and lead to the lamp-socket 7. The lamp-socket, however, may be made in one part with the body A, this modification being shown in Fig. 6, wherein the cavity for the socket is placed in the location of the notch a. The parts of the socket consist of the threaded sleeve j and the center contact it, from which, respectively, lead two conductors j and in through interior passages to the respective notches or seats in the end of the body A. The conductors y" and k are in this instance provided with brads which are adapted to pierce the insulation of the main conductors g and g and enter into contact with the wire or wires therein. When the cap is screwed in place in the manner before described, the wires are then held firmly impaled, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 6. The opening or seat for the supporting-cable f is indicated in Fig. 6 as a hole 0 through the body A, through which the cable would have to be threaded; but this hole may have a side passage, as indicated by the dotted lines 0, to admit the cable f to it without the threading operation.

It will be seen that with this device there are no exposed metal parts and no half-splicing is necessary to connect the branch and main wires together, although such a connection may be used instead of the connector f, if desired. The devices can be rapidly put up, since no screws or clamps are necessary, the device being freely supported upon the cable.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material having seats at its extremities for main conductors and passages leading therefrom toward the middle for branch conductors, in combination with caps of insulating material adapted to pass endwise over the extremities of the elongated body, substantially as described.

2. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material having notches formed endwise in its extremities and interior closed passages extending from said notches toward the middle of said body, in combination with caps adapted to pass endwise over the extremities of the elongated body and means for holding the caps in place.

3. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, comprising a body of insulating material having two cavities each containing a movable connector for the attachment of wires and caps adapted to cover said cavities.

4. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material having a cavity in each extremity, a movable connector in said cavity provided with means for connecting a main and a branch wire together, and caps adapted to cover said cavities.

5. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material ha-vin g cylindrical ends provided with diametrical notches and interior passages leading therefrom, in combination with end caps adapted to cover said notches, substantially as described.

6. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material having cylindrical ends provided with diametrical notches and interior passages leading therefrom, in combination with end caps adapted to cover said notches, said caps having radial pins and the surfaces of said cylindrical ends having inclined slots for engagement with the pins for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a supporting-cable and two electrical conductors arranged parallel thereto, of a plurality of receptacles or similar electric appliances each comprising a body of insulating material having a seat at an intermediate location for the supportingcable and connecting devices at opposite sides of said seat and adapted to engage with the I00 respective conductors, substantially as described.

8. A branch block, receptacle, or similar electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material, having an open- 5 ing therein for the passage of a supportingcable and binding devices at each end for electrical conductors, in combination with end caps adapted to cover the binding devices.

9. A branch block, receptacle, or similar 110 electric appliance, consisting of an elongated body of insulating material having an opening or seat formed in one side between its ends and adapted to receive a supporting-eable, connecting devices for conducting-wires I 5 located in the ends of said body, conductors leading from said connecting devices through said'body to said opening or seat and caps adapted to cover said connecting devices.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signa- 120 ture in presence 'of two witnesses.

PHILIP H. FIELDING.

Witnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPIN, WM. A. ROSENBAUM. 

